CHAP. IX.]

POPULATION OF THE SOUTH.

265

The following despatch from the Lord Lieutenant still further confirmed the statement as to the excellent disposition of the people of the South of Ireland, and was a complete refutation of the calumnies uttered against the Catholics.

LORD CAMDEN TO THE DUKE OF PORTLAND.

Castle, January 10, 1797.

I have the satisfaction to acquaint your Grace, that since the information transmitted to Mr. Greville, that the French had entirely left Bantry Bay, there has been no re-appearance of them upon the coasts; so that I trust, from the violence of the tempest, and from their ships being ill-found and ill-victualled, their expedition is for the present frustrated.

Upon reviewing what has passed in this expedition of the enemy, I have the satisfaction to reflect, that the best spirit was manifested by his Majesty's regular and militia forces; and I have every reason to believe, that if a landing had taken place, they would have displayed the utmost fidelity. When the flank companies of the Antrim regiment were formed, the whole regiment turned out to a man, with expressions of the greatest eagerness to march ; and the Downshire regiment, to a man, declared they would stand and fall by their officers.

At the time the army was ordered to march, the weather was extremely severe; I therefore ordered them a proportion of spirits upon their route, and directed an allowance of fourpence a-day to their wives until their return. During their march the utmost attention was paid them by the inhabitants of the towns and villages through which they passed; so that in many places the meat provided by the Commissary was not consumed. The roads, which had in parts been rendered impassable by the snow, were cleared by the peasantry. The poor people often shared their potatoes with them, and dressed their meat without demanding payment; of which there was a very particular instance in the town of Banagher, where no gentleman or principal farmer resides to set them the example. At Carlow a considerable subscription was made for the troops as they passed; and at Limerick and Cork every exertion was used to facilitate the carriage of artillery and baggage, by premiums to the carmen; and in the town of Galway, which for a short time was left

266

LOYALTY OF DUBLIN.

[CHAP, IX. with a very inadequate garrison, the zeal and ardour of the inhabitants and yeomanry was peculiarly manifested, and in a manner to give me the utmost satisfaction. In short, the general good disposition of the people through the South and West was so prevalent, that had the enemy landed, their hope of assistance from the inhabitants would have been totally disappointed.

From the armed yeomanry, Government derived the most honourable assistance. Noblemen and gentlemen of the first property vied in exerting themselves at the head of their corps. Much of the express and escort duty was performed by them. In Cork, Limerick, and Galway, they took the duty of the garrison. Lord Shannon informs me, that men of 3,000l. and 4,000l. a-year were employed in escorting baggage and carrying expresses.

Mr. John Latouche, who was a private in his son's corps, rode twenty-five miles in one of the severest nights, on express, it being his turn for duty. The merchants of Dublin, many of them of the first eminence, marched sixteen miles with a convoy of arms to the North, whither it was conducted by reliefs of yeomanry. The appearance in this metropolis has been highly meritorious. The corps have been formed of the most respectable barristers, attornies, merchants, gentlemen, and citizens, and their number is so considerable, and their zeal in mounting guard so useful, that I was enabled greatly to reduce the garrison with perfect safety to the town. The numbers of yeomanry fully appointed and disciplined in Dublin exceed two thousand, above four hundred of whom are horse. The whole number of corps approved by Government amounted to four hundred and forty, exclusive of the Dublin corps. The gross number is nearly twenty-five thousand. There are also ninety-one offers of service under consideration, and one hundred and twenty-five proposals have been declined; and, in reply to a circular letter written to the commandants of the respective corps, their answers almost universally contained a general offer of service in any part of the kingdom.

Many prominent examples of individual loyalty and spirit have appeared. A useful impression was made upon the minds of the lower Catholics by a judicious address from Dr. Moylan, the titular Bishop of Cork. I cannot but take notice of the exertions of Lord Kenmare, who spared no expence in giving assistance to the commanding

CHAP. IX.]

MOTION ON THE ADDRESS.

267

officer in his neighbourhood, and who took into his own demesne a great quantity of cattle which had been driven from the coast. Nor could anything exceed the ardour of the Earl of Ormond, who, when his regiment of militia was retained as part of the garrison of Dublin, solicited with so much zeal a command in the flank companies, that I thought it a measure due to his Majesty's service to encourage his Lordship's request. CAMDEN.

Par

Such was the spirited conduct and loyal disposition evinced by the people in the south of Ireland, when the enemy threatened a descent on their shores. They naturally expected, and certainly desired some recompense, but they received none. Their rights were still withheld; and the French having departed, and the terror of invasion being removed, the minister gave to the people merely the empty tribute of extorted praise, and the Catholics in the south of Ireland remained disqualified, but loyal, while the hitherto favoured north was still discontented and disaffected. liament assembled in January, but no relief was held out from that quarter: the declaration of war by Spain-the recall of Lord Malmesbury from Paris-and congratulations on the failure of the French expedition, formed the subject of Lord Camden's speech. Mr. Grattan proposed an amendment to the address, "That the House would consider it their duty to take into immediate consideration the steps that had been taken by the ministers for the defence of the country." He contended that the British Minister should have been more vigilant, and sent the British fleet to protect the coast; that the object of the expedition had been known long before it sailed; that the country had been neglected in a similar manner in 1779, and left to defend herself; and when it was considered how much Ireland, by her purse and her people, contributed to the defence of the

268

MEASURES IN PARLIAMENT.

[CHAP. IX. navy and the empire, the Minister was infinitely more culpable. All men exclaimed against his conduct when they beheld him deaf to her entreaties -lost to all concern for the safety of Irelandleaving her a prey to her distractions, and to be defended by her own valour. The conduct of the Catholics was exemplary, and was an answer to all the charges made against them; that Parliament would be much to blame if they were ever prompt to adulate and never to censure. Ponsonby took the same view of affairs, and hoped that the zeal and energy displayed by the people had at length opened the eyes of the Government, and that their best course would be to secure by mildness the good feelings of the people, instead of goading them into acts of violence by unconstitutional measures; the Roman Catholics had proved their loyalty and their just title to be admitted to the privileges of the Constitution.

Mr.

The numbers on the division were 7 to 90against Mr. Grattan's proposition. On the failure of this motion, Sir L. Parsons, on the 24th of February, proposed to raise 50,000 yeomen, but he had only 23 to support him against 125. On the 27th, Mr. George Ponsonby proposed a vote of censure on Ministers for their neglect of the defence of the country, on the last threatened invasion, but it was rejected without a division. Mr. Vandeleur proposed an Absentee tax of two shillings in the pound on all rents of persons absent more than six months: this was supported by Mr. Grattan, Mr. Fletcher, and Mr. Curran, but was defeated by 122 to 49.

Such were the civic measures that engaged the attention of the House in the early part of the session of 1797; the close of it was occupied by others of a different character, and which quickly changed for the worse the aspect of affairs. The

CHAP. IX.

MILITARY PROCEEDINGS.

269

Habeas Corpus Act having been suspended,* and the Constitution being suppressed, Government seemed to think it an easy task to deal with the people. Accordingly, troops of the line, and fencible regiments from England, were poured into the country in great numbers. A multitude of persons were arrested for political offences; some by warrants from magistrates, and military officers made magistrates; others from privy councillors, judges, secretaries; even by the Lord Lieutenant's sign manual; and last, not least, from Lord Castlereagh, who by this time had cast aside his Reform principles, and appeared in his real colours. Many were taken up merely on suspicion,† were lodged in gaol, and bail refused; several were tried at the assizes, and being acquitted, were immediately arrested on charges of high treason

* In February, 1797, the military broke into the house of the proprietor of the Northern Star newspaper at Belfast, destroyed the types and presses, and lodged the printers in gaol. Messrs. Robert and William Simms were arrested for having published Arthur O'Connor's address to the electors of the county of Antrim, and left in prison for four months. Arthur O'Connor was apprehended on the 2nd of February by order of the Privy Council for his second address to the county of Antrim, and lodged in the tower in Dublin Castle for six months. Looking through the prison bars, the sentries of the Highland fencibles fired at him, but without success. His address was an able composition, and stated some hard truths; but though injudicious, would scarcely warrant the attempt to murder!

+ In Belfast, a man with a mask or black crape over his face, was led out attended by the military, and when he marked out any individuals, they were seized and cast into prison. This man's name was supposed to be Newell, a spy of Government. In a few days forty persons were arrested.

The chief trial for administering the test of the United Irish, took place in April, in Armagh, in the case of Dogherty; the witness against him was a soldier, who perjured himself so glaringly, that he was transferred to the dock for trial, and the prisoner acquitted. The next case occurred at Monaghan, when the prisoner Hanlon was sworn against by a soldier of the 24th Dragoons, but he broke down on cross-examination, and his evidence was disproved, and Hanlon acquitted. The system of procuring testimony by spies and informers, was carried by the Government supporters to a frightful extreme, and the circumstance of the military being connected with these trials raised a strong feeling against them, and was productive of great injury.